Grants Strategy &
Calendar Worksheets
Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Grant Decision Matrix
What program will I use to build my matrix?
What might be our specific criteria?
Check those that apply to your organization and add new ideas!
SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA:
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Relationship with grant maker
Compliments grant maker’s objectives
Compliments my organization’s mission
Likelihood of award / how competitive are we
Competition for award
Do we have enough time to write the proposal
What other subjective criteria do I want to consider?
OBJECTIVE CRITERIA:
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Meet eligibility requirements
My organization serves the target community
My organization serves the target population
Do we have or can we obtain expertise in the subject area
Do we have the fiscal expertise to manage an award of this size
If matching funds are required, can we make the match
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
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Will the award cover our administrative/ indirect costs
Is this enough money to do what needs to be done
Are required collaborations in place
Can we secure the required agreements, letters of support, etc.
Can we meet the evaluation requirements
Do we have support of the board/staff to make application
What other objective criteria do I wish to consider?
DESIGNING THE KEY
Your key may look something like this:
Matrix Key
0 = Neutral
1 to 5 = Positive
-1 to -5 = Negative
Do not apply = scores of X or lower
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What are my initial thoughts on how to develop our key?
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What do I need to do to further develop the Matrix?
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Who might help with this project?________________________
Will I use Excel, Google doc spreadsheet, or some other
spreadsheet program?
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Grant Research
PROJECT DESCRIPTION WORKSHEET
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What is the name of the project/program?
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Who is the lead contact person?
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What is the proposed project?
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What needs/problem will this project/program address?
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What is the project budget (an estimate is fine)?
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Are there specific brand names for any product or equipment I
may need?
DEVELOPING THE KEY WORDS FOR MY RESEARCH
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What is the geographic focus of this project?
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
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Does the geographic focus area require further discussion? __
Yes __ No
If the expanded geographic area suggests any collaborative
partners, who might they be?
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2.
3.
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5.
Others?
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What areas of interest are we covering with this project?
OBVIOUS
LESS APPARENT
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Who makes up the target population?
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What type of support do we need for this project?
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Here are a few examples of types of support. You can get a full
list of types of support on the GrantStation home page under
SEARCH TERMS.
Advocacy
Capacity Building
Collaborations/Partnerships
Equipment Funding
General Support
Matching Grants
Project/Program Support
What information can I add to this project description to make
my grant research more productive?
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Identifying the right grant maker(s)
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Who should I contact to discuss potential funding, or who can
make the contact for me within:
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Local government
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County/borough government
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Federal government
**Are there specific departments or funds I should research?
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What research tools can I use for federal research?
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Grants.gov (no cost/ time consuming)
GrantStation (requires Membership/quick, easy)
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
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Who is on our organization’s vendor list that might be able to
support our project?
1. (Bank)
2. (Insurance company)
3. (Utility company)
4.
5.
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Which other businesses/organizations that we work/collaborate
with might be able to support this project (either in kind
contribution or cash)?
Which natural partners should we discuss this project with, who
might be able to bring other funders to the table?
What research tools can I use for private funding research
(corporations, foundations, associations with grantmaking
programs, religious grantmakers, etc.)?
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Google or other search engines (no cost/ time consuming)
GrantStation (requires Membership/quick, easy/ covers
foundations, corporations, religious grantmakers, and
associations)
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Library (on line database access / no cost / time consuming)
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Other online research tools
Additional thoughts and ideas:
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Creating a Script
Points I would like to make in my first conversation with a potential
grant maker:
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Grant Strategy
Strategy is an elaborate plan of action.
Effective strategy relies on in-depth research and an
understanding of the grantmakers intentions.
Strategies evolve and change over time.
With the right strategic grants approach in place, your tasks
gain more clarity allowing for sound decision-making.
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What are my ideas / thoughts for developing a strategy for
funding this project?
What other projects that need funding might I want to include in
an overall strategic approach for the rest of 2015, and
throughout 2016?
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Will there be a general operating budget shortfall in 2016?
Yes (if so, how much?)
No
Unsure
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Grants Calendar
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Which projects will I weave into my grants calendar?
PROJECT
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DATE MONEY NEEDED
Will I include general operating as one of the threads in my
overall approach?
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Yes, for this operating period (dates)
No
Need to discuss with board / staff / others if grants should
play a role in general operating
What is my projected start date and end dates for my Grants
Calendar?
Start:
End:
*Note that the end month for the overall Calendar is always evolving,
but for the initial planning stage try determine a cut- off month and let
the Calendar grow as you develop new sources and flesh out your
overall strategy.
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Grants Strategy and Calendar Worksheets
Some of your end dates will actually be determined because of a
deadline that will affect the project. For example, let’s say you want to
build that trail we discussed earlier? Then you have a ‘building season’,
which guides the timing of the grant awards (money in the door).
What are my thoughts/ ideas for developing my organization’s Grants
Calendar?
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